'Fines for safety, not revenue; states can make cuts': Nitin Gadkari

India, Sept. 11 -- Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday defended the recent increase in traffic fines, even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee joined Gujarat in announcing that her government will not implement the revised penalties to save people from the additional burden.

Chief minister of Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa, also indicated in Bengaluru that his government may revise the penalties after getting the Gujarat government order. In Maharashtra, which is ruled by a coalition of the BJP and Shiv Sena, state transport minister Diwakar Raote said the revised fines were not being implemented immediately as he had requested the Centre to reconsider them.